Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed, says the attempt by the government to blame the price of cement on the producers is disingenuous.
He noted that 95% of the materials used in cement production in the country are imported.
This follows Trade Minister K.T. Hammond’s controversial proposed Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to regulate cement pricing, which has been laid before Parliament.
It is expected to become law in the next 21 days unless a two-thirds majority of Parliament annuls it.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 2, Minority Chief Whip Kwame Governs Agbodza said that they only allowed the L.I. to be laid because it will no longer seek to regulate the prices of cement but require that cement manufacturers report the pricing decisions to the government regularly.
In an interview on the JoyNews’ AM Show on Wednesday, Mr Mohammed said, “95% of what is being used to produce cement in this country is imported. There are huge import duties that are imposed by this government on every single thing that is imported in this country, including over 95% of the components that are used in producing this cement.”
Mr Mohammed highlighted that the depreciation of the cedi is largely because these inputs are purchased in dollars, not in cedis.
The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central expressed concern that placing the blame solely on producers is problematic if the government intends to address the issue effectively.
“The government is the major player and determinant of how much cement is to be sold in this country.”
Source: myjoyonline.com
